Package forming machine

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for folding a cut and creased wrapper blank about an article, such as a bakery product supported in a baking pan or the like, which apparatus includes an endless conveyor, on the top run of which the article is supported, while a wrapper blank is deposited on the top thereof, and associated mechanism spaced along the path of advance of the conveyor run which is operative to plow down end or side portions of the wrapper and to fold into position gusset formations which connect the end wall forming panel portions of the wrapper and top wall or side wall forming panel portions thereof.

United States Patent 11 1 111] 3,91 1,644 Myers et al. Oct. 14, 1975 [5PACKAGE FORMING MACHINE 3,516,219 6/1970 Nigrelli 53/48 3,701,23110/1972 Standley [75] Inventors: Bergenfield; 3,751,872 8/1973 Helms53/209 x Edward Waleck, Closter, both of NJ. Primary ExaminerTravis S.McGehee [73] Assignee: Federal Paper Board Company, Inc., AssistantSiPOS Momvale, N Attorney, Agent, or FirmGuy A. Greenawalt [22] Filed:Oct. 5, 1973 [57] ABSTRACT 1 1 pp 403,800 An apparatus for folding a cutand creased wrapper I blank about an article, such as a bakery productsup- 52 US Cl 53/207- 53/209 Ported in a baking the like which apparatus[511 Int 2 l l B65B 11/10 cludes an endless conveyor, on the top run ofwhich [58] Field of 208 the article is supported, while a wrapper blankis de- 93/48 posited on the top thereof, and associated mechanism spacedalong the path of advance of the conveyor run [56] References Citedwhich is operative to plow down end or side portions of the wrapper andto fold into position gusset forma- UNITED STATES PATENTS tions whichconnect the end wall forming panel por- 2,751,730 6/1956 Gentry 53/48 Xtions f h wrapper and top wall or side wall f i 3,127,720 4/1964Gentry.. panel portions thereof. 3,187,479 6/1965 Ganz 1/1967 Wood 53/4810 Claims, 22 Drawing Figures US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet 1 of43,911,644

7 i r. z T a Cr. 9 ppm 7 g? N kw N wen u U.S. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Shet2 of4 3,911,644

F'l -"l- US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet 3 of4 3,911,644

U.S. Patant Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet 4 of4 3,911,644

PACKAGE FORMING MACHINE This invention relates to packaging and is moreparticularly concerned with improvements in machinery for applying awrapper forming blank of foldable sheet material to an article, such as,a tray supported bakery product or other article or product of a similarcharacter.

In the development of packaging machinery, the need for new machineryfrequently arises when a new packaging method is devised or a newpackage is designed which available machinery is not adapted to handle.Recently, some efforts have been made to provide a new system forpackaging bakery products which have heretofore been marketed in arelatively shallow tray fabricated of aluminum foil, molded pulp, shapedplastic, or the like, in which the product may have been processed inthe bakery. Most often trays of this type product have been prepared,for retail marketing, by merely inserting a disc lid in the top of thetray, the latter frequently having the form of a pie pan of round, ovalor rectangular shape. One recently developed system of packaging sucharticles or products involves the use of a package forming blank offoldable sheet material, for example, paperboard, which is cut andscored to enable it to be wrapped about the bakery tray containing theproduct so as to enclose the top, together with oppositely disposedportions of the side or end walls and at least a portion of the bottomwall. The opposite end portions of the blank which form end or sidewalls and a bottom wall are connected to the side wall or to the topwall forming portion of the blank by gusset formations which must beproperly folded when the blank is wrapped about the tray. A package ofthis type is disclosed in the copending application of Guelfo A. Manizzaand Frederick E. Naumann, Jr., Ser. No. 336,004, filed Feb. 26, 1973.The fabrication of this type package cannot be accomplished in a propermanner on known packaging machinery. It is a general object of thisinvention, therefore, to provide improved packaging machinery which willproperly apply a wraparound packaging blank to an article, when theblank includes foldable corner gusset structures extending along sideedges of the blank.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide improved packagefabricating apparatus which is especially adapted for use in a packagingoperation wherein an article is wholly or partially enclosed in awraparound type packaging blank having a side edge forming panelstructure which is required to be folded into a corner forming area ofthe package as the package wall forming panels are moved into properposition for encircling the article.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved packagingmachine for folding a wrapper blank about an article which embodies acarrier mechanism for advancing an article with a wrapper blankassembled thereon along a package forming path where there is amechanism for performing a preliminary folding operation on a gussetstructure on the edge of the blank so as to bring it into properposition relative to the adjoining wall panels which are connectedthereby when the wall panels are disposed in final package formingposition.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a packaging machinefor enclosing or encircling an article with a wraparound type packagingblank of foldable sheet material wherein there is provided conveyingmeans for advancing successive articles on each of which a wrapper blankis deposited and means is provided along the path of advance forengaging a foldable panel structure at the trailing side of the blankand positioning the same for further folding by a plow member into afinal position adjacent the inside faces of adjoining panel members.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom a consideration of the method and apparatus which is shown by wayof illustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial plan view, of a packaging machine apparatus whichembodies the principal features of the invention, with portions of theapparatus being broken away and portions shown schematically;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with portionsbroken away or omitted;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view, to an enlarged scale, showingportions of the apparatus at the gusset folding station with the leadinggusset approaching the blade for folding the same;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3with portions in section, the view showing the leading gusset on thefixed folding blade and the traveling blade for folding the trailinggusset approaching the trailing gusset;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 66 of FIG. 4;

FIG.-7 is a fragmentary section on a vertical plane showing theapparatus of FIG. 4 with the traveling gusset folding blades in adifferent position;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the leading andtrailing gussets on the fixed, vertically extending gusset foldingblade;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 11-11 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 12-12 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view on the line 13-13 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary section on a vertical plane similar to FIG. 4showing a modified form of folding apparatus for the trailing gusset;

FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 14 with the leading gusset on thefixed folding blade and the trailing gusset folded by the travelingfolder blade into position to go on the fixed folding blade;

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 16-16 of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a plan view of a cut and scored blank employed in fabricatingthe package as shown in FIGS. 1 to 13;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the completed package when formed with.the blank of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a plan view of a modified form of blank which the machine inmodified form is adapted to handle;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the completed package when formed withthe blank of FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating a modification of themachine which is designed for forming a package with the blank of FIG.19; and

FIG. 22 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to FIG. 3, but showingthe blank of FIG. 19 and the modified apparatus of FIG. 21. 7

Referring first to FIGS. 17 and 18, there is illustrated a wrapper blankand a package which the machine illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 16 is designedto handle. The blank B is a generally rectangular sheet of foldablepaperboard or similar material which is cut and scored to provide a topwall forming panel T of rectangular or square shapeadjoining panels Eland E2 which may be termed end panels and side panels S1 and S2 whichare relatively narrow and adapted to form partial side walls in thepackage P shown in FIG. 18. Bottom wall forming panels B1 and B2 extendfrom the end wall forming panels El and E2 with the one panel B2 havinga locking panel L at the free margin and the other bottom panel B1having openings or apertures therein for receiving the locking tabs orfingers L1 and latching fingers or tabs L2 on the panel L. The end wallforming panels El and E2 are connected to the side wall forming panelsor strip members S1 and S2 by gusset formations G1, G2, G3 and G4, eachof which comprises a pair of generally triangular panels foldable abouta dividing hinge forming crease line and each foldably connected orhingedly connected to the adjacent side wall S1 'or S2 and end wall E1or E2 panels on angularly related crease lines. The package P shown inFIG. 18 is and feeding conveyor assembly 12 above which there isprovided a blank-feeding conveyor 14 leading from a blank supply hopper(not shown) and delivering blanks to the articles which are carried inspaced relation on the conveyor assembly 12 to the entrance end of anoverhead or upper folding conveyor assembly 16.

The overhead conveyor assembly 16 positions the blanks on the successivearticles A and folds down the side wall panels 81 and S2. The articleand blank assemblies are advanced on the conveyor assembly 12 to agusset forming or folding station where the article and blank assembliesare moved past-a pair of generally parallel, vertically disposed, gussetforming blades l8, l8 and operated upon by traveling gusset foldingassemblies 20 and 20' which co-operate with the blades 18 and 18 forfolding the gussets on both the leading and trailing side of the blank.The gusset folding blades fold the gusset panels upon each other andbring them into proper position which in some degree pulls down the endportions of the blank having the end wall panels and the bottom wallpanels therein. The opposite end portions of the blank are plowed downby laterally spaced, vertically disposed folding blades 22 and 22' aseach package assembly is advanced between the gusset forming blades 18and 18' by the conveyor assembly 12. Advance of the package formingassembly beyond the folders 22 and 22' is taken over by a pair oflaterally spaced, horizontally disposed side chain assemblies 24 and 24between which the package forming assembly is moved while beingsupported on a bottom rail 26. The bottom forming panels or flaps BI andB2 are folded in toward each other by folding blades or ploughs 28 and28 with the package assembly being advanced to a lock engaging stationwhere there is a bottom panel locking mechanism 30. The locking panel Lis hinged and the locking and latching fingers and tabs are engaged inthe apertures in the bottom panel Bl by the locking mechanism 30 whichcompletes the formation of the package. The completed package is thenadvanced by the conveyors 24 and 24 out of the machine.

The conveyor assembly 12 which feeds the articles being packagedcomprises an endless chain 32 or a pair of parallel chains (FIG. 2)having article engaging lugs 33 spaced along the same with the spacingdepending upon the size of the article A which is being packaged. Thechain or chains 32 are mounted at the leading end thereof on a sprocketassembly 34 supported on a cross shaft 35 and at the trailing end on asuitable driven sprocket arrangement (not shown).

The blanks B are fed from a suitable hopper (not shown) -to a depositstation above the top run of the conveyor 12 on which the articles aresupported. The blank feed device 14 comprises a pair of parallel endlesschains 36 supported at the leading end on a pair of sprockets 37 mountedon a cross shaft 38 which is suitably supported on the frame structure.of the machine with the other end of the chains mounted in a similarmanner on driven sprockets (not shown). Angular lugs 40 are spaced alongthe chains 36 for engaging the trailing edges of the blanks andreleasing the same over the leading end sprockets 37.

The upper conveyor assembly 16 for folding down the side wall formingstrips S1 and S2. of the blank B comprises a pair of parallel endlesschains 42 mounted on longitudinally spaced end sprockets 43 and 44 whichare carried on transverse shafts 45 and 45 spaced above the top run ofconveyor assembly 12 with one of these cross shafts being driven in asuitable manner. The chains 42 carry longitudinally spaced pairs ofangle bars 46 and 46 which extend transversely and serve to fold downthe leading and trailing side panels S1 and S2 on each of the successivepackage assemblies. The bottom run of the chains 42 have suitable guidedevices (not shown) for holding'the cross bars 46 and 46 in the properpath to engage or seat on the blanks in the proper sequence and folddown the side wall forming panels S1 and S2. The cross bars 46 and 46are spaced to cause the.panels S1 and S2 to break on the crease linesforming the hinge connections with the top panel and serve to positionthe blank in proper relation on the top of the article. As the packageassemblies are advanced by the lugs 33 on the conveyor 12 they movebetween the vertically disposed gusset forming blades or plates 18 and18. The plates 18 and 18' are mounted on the support frame for verticaladjustment by means of longitudinally spaced bolt and slot connections48. The plates 18 and 18' are mounted so that the top edges 50 and 50are in the proper position for engaging the leading gusset assemblies G1and G2 as indicated in FIG. 3. Each of the gusset forming blades 18 and18 has its trailing upper end corner turned outwardly somewhat, asindicated at 53 in FIG. 3, for engaging with the leading gusset as thepackage assembly is advanced between the plates which folds the gussetback and in towards the center of the blank.

The assemblies and 20 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 to 12) for folding the trailinggussets G3 and G4 are spaced transversely of the machine and eachcomprises a traveling chain mounted on sprockets 56, 57 and 58 on crossshafts 60, 61 and 62 with cross shaft constituting a driven shaft on theend of which there is a sprocket 63 with a chain 64 leading to a drivemotor or other source of power (not shown). The drive shaft 60 issupported on a suitable cross frame which is indicated at 65. Theendless chain 55 carries a series of spaced folder plates or lugs 66which are mounted thereon so as to extend outboard of the chain andtravel in a vertical plane. The plates 66 have the leading edges 67 cutso as to taper to a curved or rounded intersection at 68 with theoutboard edge 70. They advance in a path to engage at the top thereofwith a trailing gusset on the blank. The blades 66 fold the gussets G4and G3 into position to ride onto the top edges 50 and 50 of the gussetforming blades 18 and 18. The package assemblies are advanced betweenthe plates 18 and 18' and then between the upstanding folder blades 22and 22 which are supported on a cross frame structure indicated at 72.The folder blades 22 and 22 fold down the ends of the blank, in whichthe end wall forming panels El and E2 and the bottom wall forming panelsB1 and B2 are located, into a generally vertical position so that thebottom wall forming panels B1 and B2 are positioned for engagement withthe folders or plow members 28 and 28'.

The folders 28 and 28' are laterally spaced and curved at the entranceend to fold the panels B1 and B2 underneath the article A. The plowmembers 28 annd 28 are arranged so that the female panel or flap B1 isfolded in first by the plow 28' followed by the male panel B2 with thelocking and latching panel L being folded in by the plow member 28.

As each package assembly advances to the leading end of the articlecarrying conveyor 12, it is released by the pusher lugs 33 moving downaround the sprockets 34 and further movement of the package assembly istaken over by side chain assemblies 24 and 24. The side chain assemblies24 and 24 comprise endless chains 74 and 74' having longitudinallyspaced package engaging lugs 75 and 75 which co-operate in engaging thepackage assemblies on opposite sides thereof as the package assembliesare advanced between oppositely disposed chain runs. The chains 74 and74' are supported on suitable sprockets, only two of which are shown inFIG. 1 at 76, 77 and 76, 77 at the trailing ends of the chains. Thepackage assemblies are advanced by the side chain assemblies 24 and 24to the bottom panel latching and locking mechanism and then out of themachine.

A modified form of the machine is illustrated in FIGS. 14 to 16 whichemploys a different arrangement for folding or tucking the trailinggusset. In this form of the apparatus the leading gusset indicated at G2in FIGS. 14 to 16 is tucked or folded by engaging the trailing end ofthe fixed gusset folding plate 18 the same as in the form of the machineillustrated in FIGS. 1 to 13. The trailing gusset G4 is tucked intoposition for advance onto the plate 18 by a tucking element 80 mountedon a rotatable plate member 82 which is mounted on the drive shaft 60.The tucking element 80, which extends laterally of the rotatable plate82 near the periphery thereof, has a panel engaging cylindrical portion83 which is cut away on a chordal plane to form a flat forward face 84and which has a tapered portion 85 connecting the same to the plate 82.The plate 82 is cut away along a radius coinciding with the chordalplane to provide a circumferential portion of reduced diameter whichextends about approximately threefourths of the circumference so as toprovide a free path for advance of the leading and trailing gussets. Theplate 82 is rotated at a rate of travel relative to the rate of travelof the package assembly and is timed so that the tucking element 82 willengage with the trailing side of a trailing gusset and move the sameinto the position shown in FIG. 15 before the trailing gusset reachesthe end 53 of the fixed tucking blade 18 and at the same time there isclearance for advance of the leading gusset on a succeeding blank.

Another form of wrapper blank and package of the type which a machineembodying the invention is adapted to handle is illustrated in FIGS. 19to 22. The illustrated blank b which is described in the copendingapplication of Guelfo A. Manizza and Frederick E. Naumann, Jr., SerialNo. 336,004, filed Feb. 26, I973, comprises a generally rectangularsheet which is cut and creased or scored, as illustrated particularly inFIG. 19, to provide a top wall forming panel I, adjoining end wallforming panels el and e2, and bottom wall forming panels bl and b2 withthe latter having a terminal cross strip constituting a locking andlatching panel I having locking tabs 1 l and latching fingers 12 forlocking and latching engagement in co-operating apertures 0 in the endmargin of the panel bl. At the four corners of the top panel t gussetpanels g1, g2, g3 and g4 are provided which are subdivided into threegenerally triangular panels by angularly related scores. One of thesepanels is hinged to an adjoining end wall, another, which is indicatedat sl s2, s3 and s4, is hinged to the top wall and an intermediate panelconnects the two. The panels which are hinged to the top wall, namely,s1, s2, s3 and s4, may be considered side wall panels or half panelssince, as shown in FIG. 20, they move into the same position as the sidewall panels SI and S2 in the package of FIG. 18.

The blank b is adapted for use in packaging a pie pan type package, asindicated in FIGS. 20 and 21, and the package may be formed on thepresent machine with the modification shown in FIGS. 21 and 22. Toaccommodate the folding of the panels sl, s2, s3 and s4 the transverseangle bars 46 and 46' on the chains 42 and 42' of the overhead conveyorassembly 16 are replaced by pairs of relatively short angle bars 146 and146 which are mounted on the chains 42 and 42 at an angle to atransverse plane corresponding to the hinge angle connecting the panelss1, s2, s3 and s4 with the top panel I.

The blank bl includes a pair of rectangular apertures cl and c2 spacedalong each of the hinge connections between the end wall forming panelsel e2 and the bottom wall forming panels b1 and b2 which are providedfor accommodating the compression fingers of a tightening mechanismwhich may be incorporated in the apparatus of the present invention fortightening the panels in closing and latching the bottom wall formingpanel members. Such mechanism may be in accordance with the disclosurein U.S. Pat. No. 3,474,590, dated Oct. 28, 1969, which also discloses asuitable bottom wall panel lock and latch engaging mechanism 30 for usein the present machine.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for folding a cut and creased wrapper blank about anarticle which has the general form of an upwardly facing pan or traywhich wrapper blank comprises a central top wall forming panel, end wallforming panels adapted to hinge downwardly along oppositely disposed endwall forming portions of the article, side wall forming panels hinged tothe top wall forming panel and extending at each corner thereof adjacentthe ends of the end wall forming panels, and corner gusset forming panelmembers at opposite ends of the hinged connection of said top wallforming and end wall forming panels which gusset forming panel membersare creased on angularly related lines for folding of said members onhinge connections with said end and side wall forming panels and topermit portions thereof to collapse upon each other so as to positionone of said gusset portions against the adjoining end wall, saidapparatus comprising conveyor means for advancing successive articles toa gusset folding station, means for depositing a wrapper blank on eachsuccessive article with the end wall panels extending in the plane ofthe top wall panel and laterally along opposite sides of the path ofsaid article conveyor means, means in the form of vertically extendingmembers mounted at said gusset folding station which have edge portionspositioned for engagement by the leading gusset panel members as saidgusset panel members are advanced on said conveyor means so as to causesaid gusset panel portions to collapse upon each other and in thedirection of the trailing gusset panel members and advance on the upperedge portions of said vertically extending members, and means mounted atsaid station for travel in a vertical plane and in an endless pathextending along opposite sides of said conveyor means which is operatedin timed relation to the advance of successive article and wrapper blankassemblies and which traverses a portion of said path at a level so asto engage the trailing gusset forming panel members on the trailingfaces thereof and collapse said trailing gusset forming panel members inthe direction of the leading gusset forming panel members and toposition said trailing gusset forming panel members so that they advanceonto said upper edge portions of said vertically extending members.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein means is provided forfolding down leading and trailing wrapper blank portions which comprisesa traveling overhead conveyor having spaced thereon pairs oftransversely extending folder plates which are spaced to engage blankside wall forming panel portions at the leading and trailing margins ofsaid blank top wall forming panel and thereby position the wrapper blankon the article while folding down said panel portions.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means at saidgusset folding station which is positioned for engagement'by the leadinggusset panel members comprises a pair of gusset folding blade membersdisposed in generally vertical planes at opposite sides of said conveyormeans with top edge portions spaced immediately below the plane of thetop wall forming panel member and of sufficient length to supportthereon the collapsed leading and trailing gusset members.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said apparatus includesmeans positioned beyond said gusset folding station for folding downsaid end wall forming panels and wherein said gusset folding blademembers have an upstanding top edge portion of sufficient length toreceive the leading and trailing gusset panel members in collapsedcondition and retain the same in collapsed condition while an articleand wrapper blank assembly is advanced to said means for folding downthe end wall forming panels.

5. An apparatus for folding a cut and creased wrapper blank about anarticle which has the general form of an upwardly facing productaccommodating pan or tray which wrapper blank comprises a central topwall forming panel with relatively small side wall forming panels hingedat opposite margins thereof, said end wall forming panels adapted tohinge downwardly along oppositely disposed end wall forming portions ofthe article and relatively small corner gusset forming panel members atopposite ends of the hinged connection of said top wall forming and endwall forming panels which are subdivided by hinge lines to permitcollapse thereof. with one of said subdivided portions of said gussetpanel members being hingedly connected to the adjoining end wall andanother hinged to the adjoining side wall forming panel, said apparatuscomprising traveling conveyor means for advancing successive articles toa gusset folding station, means for depositing a wrapper blank on eachsuccessive article with the end wall forming panels disposed alongopposite sides of the path of said article conveyor means, means mountedin fixed position at said gusset folding station and spaced outboard ofsaid conveyor means with upwardly facing edges positioned for engagingthe gusset portions which are hinged to the leading end wall andcollapsing the leading gusset forming panel members in the direction ofthe trailing gusset forming panel members, and traveling gusset panelfolding means mounted at said gusset folding station and outboard ofopposite sides of said conveyor means which is operable in timedrelation to the advance of successive article and wrapper blankassemblies for engaging and collapsing the trailing gusset forming panelmembers in the direction of the leading gusset forming panel members andfor guiding said collapsed gusset forming panel members for advance ontothe upwardly facing edges of said means for engaging and collapsing saidleading gusset forming panel members.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said means forcollapsing the leading gusset forming panel members comprises a pair ofvertically disposed folding blades disposed in fixed position atopposite sides of said conveyor means and having top edge portionspositioned in the path of the gusset forming panel portions which arehinged to the downturned side wall forming panel at the leading side ofthe wrapper blank, said blade top edge portions being disposed in thepath of said gusset forming panel portions so as to collapse saidleading gusset forming panel members on said blade top edge portions.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said gusset panelfolding means for collapsing the trailing gusset forming panel memberscomprises a pair of traveling conveyors disposed at opposite sides ofsaid article conveyor means and having spaced plate members thereonwhich are mounted so as to travel in a vertical path and which are timedso as to engage the trailing faces of the trailing gusset forming panelmembers and collapse the same while they are advancing.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said gusset panelfolding means for collapsing the trailing gusset forming panel memberscomprises a traveling conveyor, folder plates carried on said conveyor,means mounting said plate carrying conveyor for travel in a path whichwill engage the folder plates with the trailing gusset forming panelmembers and driving means for. said plate carrying conveyor.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim wherein said gusset panel foldingmeans for collapsing the trailing gusset forming panel members comprisesa rotatably mounted carrier member disposed alongside said articleconveyor means, a gusset engaging folder member mounted on said carriermember and means for rotating said carrier member in timed relation tothe movement of said article conveyor means so as to bring said foldermember into folding engagement with said trailing gusset forming panelmembers.

10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said gusset panelfolding means for collapsing the trailing gusset forming panel memberson one side of the path of said traveling conveyor comprises a rotatablymounted carrier plate having a peripheral marginal portion and a gussetengaging folder member mounted in laterally extending relation on saidperipheral marginal portion, and means for rotating said carrier platein timed relation to the movement of said article conveyor means so asto bring said gusset engaging folder member into folding engagement withthe trailing face of a trailing gusset forming panel member.

i l l

1. An apparatus for folding a cut and creased wrapper blank about anarticle which has the general form of an upwardly facing pan or traywhich wrapper blank comprises a central top wall forming panel, end wallforming panels adapted to hinge downwardly along oppositely disposed endwall forming portions of the article, side wall forming panels hinged tothe top wall forming panel and extending at each corner thereof adjacentthe ends of the end wall forming panels, and corner gusset forming panelmembers at opposite ends of the hinged connection of said top wallforming and end wall forming panels which gusset forming panel membersare creased on angularly related lines for folding of said members onhinge connections with said end and side wall forming panels and topermit portions thereof to collapse upon each other so as to positionone of said gusset portions against the adjoining end wall, saidapparatus comprising conveyor means for advancing successive articles toa gusset folding station, means for depositing a wrapper blank on eachsuccessive article with the end wall panels extending in the plane ofthe top wall panel and laterally along opposite sides of the path ofsaid article conveyor means, means in the form of vertically extendingmembers mounted at said gusset folding station which have edge portionspositioned for engagement by the leading gusset panel members as saidgusset panel members are advanced on said conveyor means so as to causesaid gusset panel portions to collapse upon each other and in thedirection of the trailing gusset panel members and advance on the upperedge portions of said vertically extending members, and means mounted atsaid station For travel in a vertical plane and in an endless pathextending along opposite sides of said conveyor means which is operatedin timed relation to the advance of successive article and wrapper blankassemblies and which traverses a portion of said path at a level so asto engage the trailing gusset forming panel members on the trailingfaces thereof and collapse said trailing gusset forming panel members inthe direction of the leading gusset forming panel members and toposition said trailing gusset forming panel members so that they advanceonto said upper edge portions of said vertically extending members. 2.An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein means is provided forfolding down leading and trailing wrapper blank portions which comprisesa traveling overhead conveyor having spaced thereon pairs oftransversely extending folder plates which are spaced to engage blankside wall forming panel portions at the leading and trailing margins ofsaid blank top wall forming panel and thereby position the wrapper blankon the article while folding down said panel portions.
 3. An apparatusas set forth in claim 1 wherein said means at said gusset foldingstation which is positioned for engagement by the leading gusset panelmembers comprises a pair of gusset folding blade members disposed ingenerally vertical planes at opposite sides of said conveyor means withtop edge portions spaced immediately below the plane of the top wallforming panel member and of sufficient length to support thereon thecollapsed leading and trailing gusset members.
 4. An apparatus as setforth in claim 3 wherein said apparatus includes means positioned beyondsaid gusset folding station for folding down said end wall formingpanels and wherein said gusset folding blade members have an upstandingtop edge portion of sufficient length to receive the leading andtrailing gusset panel members in collapsed condition and retain the samein collapsed condition while an article and wrapper blank assembly isadvanced to said means for folding down the end wall forming panels. 5.An apparatus for folding a cut and creased wrapper blank about anarticle which has the general form of an upwardly facing productaccommodating pan or tray which wrapper blank comprises a central topwall forming panel with relatively small side wall forming panels hingedat opposite margins thereof, said end wall forming panels adapted tohinge downwardly along oppositely disposed end wall forming portions ofthe article and relatively small corner gusset forming panel members atopposite ends of the hinged connection of said top wall forming and endwall forming panels which are subdivided by hinge lines to permitcollapse thereof, with one of said subdivided portions of said gussetpanel members being hingedly connected to the adjoining end wall andanother hinged to the adjoining side wall forming panel, said apparatuscomprising traveling conveyor means for advancing successive articles toa gusset folding station, means for depositing a wrapper blank on eachsuccessive article with the end wall forming panels disposed alongopposite sides of the path of said article conveyor means, means mountedin fixed position at said gusset folding station and spaced outboard ofsaid conveyor means with upwardly facing edges positioned for engagingthe gusset portions which are hinged to the leading end wall andcollapsing the leading gusset forming panel members in the direction ofthe trailing gusset forming panel members, and traveling gusset panelfolding means mounted at said gusset folding station and outboard ofopposite sides of said conveyor means which is operable in timedrelation to the advance of successive article and wrapper blankassemblies for engaging and collapsing the trailing gusset forming panelmembers in the direction of the leading gusset forming panel members andfor guiding said collapsed gusset forming panel members for advance ontothe upwardly facing edges of said means for engaging and collapsing saidleading gusset forming panel members.
 6. An apparatus as set forth inclaim 5 wherein said means for collapsing the leading gusset formingpanel members comprises a pair of vertically disposed folding bladesdisposed in fixed position at opposite sides of said conveyor means andhaving top edge portions positioned in the path of the gusset formingpanel portions which are hinged to the downturned side wall formingpanel at the leading side of the wrapper blank, said blade top edgeportions being disposed in the path of said gusset forming panelportions so as to collapse said leading gusset forming panel members onsaid blade top edge portions.
 7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5wherein said gusset panel folding means for collapsing the trailinggusset forming panel members comprises a pair of traveling conveyorsdisposed at opposite sides of said article conveyor means and havingspaced plate members thereon which are mounted so as to travel in avertical path and which are timed so as to engage the trailing faces ofthe trailing gusset forming panel members and collapse the same whilethey are advancing.
 8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein saidgusset panel folding means for collapsing the trailing gusset formingpanel members comprises a traveling conveyor, folder plates carried onsaid conveyor, means mounting said plate carrying conveyor for travel ina path which will engage the folder plates with the trailing gussetforming panel members and driving means for said plate carryingconveyor.
 9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said gussetpanel folding means for collapsing the trailing gusset forming panelmembers comprises a rotatably mounted carrier member disposed alongsidesaid article conveyor means, a gusset engaging folder member mounted onsaid carrier member and means for rotating said carrier member in timedrelation to the movement of said article conveyor means so as to bringsaid folder member into folding engagement with said trailing gussetforming panel members.
 10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 whereinsaid gusset panel folding means for collapsing the trailing gussetforming panel members on one side of the path of said traveling conveyorcomprises a rotatably mounted carrier plate having a peripheral marginalportion and a gusset engaging folder member mounted in laterallyextending relation on said peripheral marginal portion, and means forrotating said carrier plate in timed relation to the movement of saidarticle conveyor means so as to bring said gusset engaging folder memberinto folding engagement with the trailing face of a trailing gussetforming panel member.